President stresses on "zero-tolerance" towards terrorism

Published: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 16:04 [IST]

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New Delhi, June 4 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil on Thursday said internal security will remain the thrust area of the government with "zero-tolerance" towards terrorism and will tackle it in a "time-bound" manner.

"The Government has already prepared a detailed plan to address internal security challenges to be implemented in a time-bound manner," she said.

To deal with security issues, she said a National Counter-Terrorism Centre would be set up to take pro-active measures to combat the menace.

"Special Forces and Quick Response Teams will be raised and deployed in vulnerable areas," she added.

The President said, the Multi-Agency Centre will be strengthened to ensure effective intelligence sharing and processing and Subsidiary Multi-Agency Centres will be activated in all States.

To handle terror-related offences, she said, "The National Investigation Agency has become operational and will be empowered."

She said that Central and State police forces and intelligence agencies will be expanded and fully equipped with the best technology, adding that enhanced information and intelligence sharing on a real time basis, would be made possible by the creation of a net-centric information command structure.

"My Government will actively pursue police reform and in order to ensure the active participation of the citizenry in internal security, community policing will be promoted," she said.

The President said the Government would continue to constructively engage with all groups that abjure violence in the Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country.

"Stern measures to handle insurgency and left wing extremism will be taken," she added. (ANI)